Automatic accelerator



1. H; LEITCH. AUTOMATIC ACCELERATOR,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE [3| l9l].

Rissued Aug. 2, 1921'. A 1 5, 1 70.

WJM

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICEQ JOHN H. LEITCH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANTHONY NELSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

' 1 AUTOMATIC ACCELERATOR.

Specification or Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued Aug. 2, 1921 Original N0. 1,222,874, dated April 17, 1917, Serial N0. 117,971, filed September 1, 1916.

Application for reissue filed June is, 1917. Serial No. 175,501.

To all whom it may concern.-

vBe it known that 1, JOHN H. Lnrrorr, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

sidin at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and, l tate of Michigan, have invented certa n new and useful Improvements in Automatic Accelerators, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to. the accompanying drawings.

Thls invention relates to accelerators for motor vehicles and the primary object of my invention is to provide a device that can be easily and quickly installed to be automatically actuated to prevent an automobile en-' gine from stalling and also prevent unneceswithout efi'ecting or interfering with that control. p

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of type that can be advantageously used in connection with the well known type of Ford automobiles and operated by inexperienced drivers.

The device includes parts that are constructed with a view of reducing the cost of manufacture and at the same time retain those features by which simplicity, durability and ease of assembly are secured.

With such ends in View, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan of the device, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

In the drawings, 1 denotes a portion of an internal combustion engine associated with a carbureter 2, a steering post or column 3, a clutch and change speed gear casing 4, and clutch, reverse and brake pedals or treadles, 5, 6 and 7 respectively. All of these elements have been diagrammatically illustrated, and the carbureter '2 has the usual throttle valve crank 8 connected by a rod 9 to an accelerator rod 10 forming part of the steering column or steering post 3.

The device which I install for automatically accelerating the operation of the englue 1 by shifting the throttle valve crank 8 18 adapted for operation independent of the accelerator rod 10, therefore, I provide an end of the rod 9 with a. slot 11 to receive a connecting pin 13 of a crank 12 on the end of the rod 10, such connection permitting of the throttle valve crank 8 being actuated. without disturbing the rod 10.

My device comprises a double bearing member let connected to a cover plate 15 of the change speed gear casing 4 by the same screw bolts or fastening means 16 that retain the cover plate upon the casing. Journaled in the double bearing member 14 is a rock shaft 17, said shaft extending in pro-ximity to the pedals 5 and 6 to receive curved adjustable levers 18 adapted to be engaged by the pedals 5 and 6 when depressed.

The curved levers 18 are set relative to the rock shaft 17 whereby said levers will normally. bear against the clutch and reverse pedals 5 and 6, so that the least actuation of these pedals will rock the shaft 17.

Fixed upon the opposite end of the rock shaft 17 is a crank 19 and pivotally connected to said crank is a reach rod 20. This rod extends forwardly over the carbureter 2 and is pivotally connected, as at 21, to a curved arm 22 connected to the throttle valve crank 8 by clamping member 23 or other fastening means, so that the arm 22 .is ri id relative to the throttle valve crank 8.

he reach rod 20 is suitably connected b a coiled retractile spring 24 to the dasl i board of an automobile or to any other suitable part thereof, so that the force of the spring will only restore the device to normal position.

In operation, the low speed forward or reverse can be thrown in and at the same time automatically accelerate the engine which permits of the driver of the automobile getting under way without disturbing the accelerating rod 10 of the steering column. The instant the pedals are in neutral or the clutch pedal back in the high gear, the engine runs normal, or at a speed determined by operating the accelerating rod 10 of the steering column. It is therefore apparent that by properly -operating the clutch or reverse peda that racing of the engine is eliminated and it is quite impossi- .means for actuatin and reverse peda sa' bearlng member ble for an inexperienced operator to stall the engine.

It is to be understood that'in the Ford type of automobile low speed is attained by depression of the pedal 5 and hlgh speed by the release of said pedal, while it is nec- 'essary to. hold the pedal in central position to release the clutch for the operation of the companion pedal. Consequentl whenever it is desired to reverse, the peda 5 must be held in central position while the pedal 6 is depressed to throw in reverse. This precludes the use of .an accelerator independently operated by the foot, such as 1n common use withother types of car, for the reason that both feet are occupied in the control of the pedals 5 and'6. However, with my improvement the same control is possible as with other'types of car, and the operation of either of the pedals5 and 6 will accomplish the automatic acceleration.

While in the drawing there is illustrated,

a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is tolbe understood that the structural ele-. ments are susceptible to such'variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the ap ended'claims. v

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. An accelerator for vehicles, compris ing-in combination with an engine, carbureter, a throttle valve crank, steering. post the crank, and clutch mounted in proximity to said pedals, a rock shaft ourn'aled 1n said bearing member, ad-

justable curved levers on one end of said shaft normally engaging under said pedals, and a connectionbetween the opposlteend of said shaft and said throttle valve crank so that the throttle valve crank may be actuated independent of any steering post means.

2. An accelerator for vehicles, comprising-in combination with an engine,; a carbureter, a throttle valve crank, steerin post means, adapted for actuating thecranfi, and

clutch and reverse pedals,-a bearing member mounted in proximity to said pedals, a rock shaft journaled in said bearing members and having an end thereof extendin under said pedals, adjustable levers on said rock shaft normally engaging said pedals, a crank carried by said rock shaft, an arm fixed on the throttle valve crank,'a reach rod connecting said arm to the crank of said rock shaft, and means for holding said levers normally in engagement with said pedals.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination With-the engine and change speed gearing including means for controlling the operation of said change speed gearing to effect different changes, of a plurality of pedals for actuating said controlling means, said pedals requiring simultaneous operation to efi'ect one of said changes, and an accelerator operated by eitherof said pedals as the controlling means is actuated, thereby to pick up the load.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature at Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan, this 13th day of June, 1917.

JOHN H. LEITGH. 

